More Media Matters Drama: CEO David Brock Needs to Step Down

Media Matters for America (MMFA) has quite a bit of drama going on for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Earlier this month, The Daily Caller exposed erratic behavior by the conservative media watchdog group, as well as their close coordination with Barack Obama’s White House. So much for nonprofits remaining nonpartisan.

The latest drama involves CEO David Brock, his ex-domestic partner William Grey, and the $850,000 in blackmail money that Brock paid Grey to keep him from blabbing to the media about MMFA’s supposedly shady practices.

According to leaked emails between the two parties, Grey threatened to go public with Brock’s “financial malfeasance” as the CEO of MMFA after Brock refused to give back $170,000 worth of possessions that Grey claimed belonged to him. Grey demanded that Brock give him $850,000, or he would "release specific derogatory information about [Brock] and his organization to the press and donors that would be embarrassing to him and cause harm to the organization ..."

Brock paid Grey, but later filed his own suit against him for over $4 million, claiming that he had only paid the sum “under duress.” The estranged lovers settled two months ago under confidential terms.

Here’s a question: Why would David Brock pay $850,000 to William Grey over $170,000 worth of possessions unless he had something to hide? It seems to me that if Brock had nothing to hide about MMFA, he’d tell Grey to buzz off. If there’s nothing to expose, there’s no reason to pay money to keep it covered up.

MMFA is a nonprofit organization, and therefore entitled to certain benefits under the law. With all of the recent evidence coming to light that their practices might not all be aboveboard, why are no steps being taken to rescind their 501(c)(3) status until it is proven that they are in full compliance with the law?

At the very least, David Brock needs to step down as CEO of the company. All of the controversy seems to be centralized around him. If MMFA is legit, why isn’t Brock stepping down, or at least taking a leave of absence until all of this can be figured out? Aren’t liberals supposed to be all about ‘taking one for the team’? Isn’t that why they want to tax rich people more? In order to help those less fortunate than themselves?

There are too many allegations against David Brock to justify his continued presence as the head of MMFA. Either he needs to step down or the company needs to make him. Companies that enjoy nonprofit status have certain standards to uphold, and MMFA is failing miserably.